


The Extent of Tolerance

by orphan_account



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Banter, Bullies, Developing Relationship, Flirting, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Post-Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie), Pre-Relationship, Tony Stark/Stephen Strange parenting Peter Parker | Supremefamily | Strange Family
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-18
Updated: 2019-03-28
Packaged: 2019-11-23 11:06:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,731
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18151040
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: “I’m being bullied in school.”The words scorch through Tony’s skin as he spins around, dropping several tools on the ground in the process of doing so. He stares in shock at Peter, who is still working on a new formula for his web slingers. He had said the words in a calm matter, as if they were nothing, and it left an uneasy feeling sitting deep in Tony’s stomach. He takes a small step toward the young teenager. “What?”





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> A quick multichapter fanfic for y'all! I really wanted to write about Peter's experience with being bullied and what Tony would do with that information. I'm thinking maybe 2 chapters total, but could be 3.

“I’m being bullied in school.”

 

The words scorch through Tony’s skin as he spins around, dropping several tools on the ground in the process of doing so. He stares in shock at Peter, who is still working on a new formula for his web slingers. He had said the words in a calm matter, as if they were nothing, and it left an uneasy feeling sitting deep in Tony’s stomach. He takes a small step toward the young teenager. “What?”

 

Without glancing up, Peter replies in a small voice. “I’m being bullied. In school. By a kid in my grade.”

 

Tony’s hand immediately rises to his own chest, clutching his shirt lightly as a small gasp escapes his throat. Billions of thoughts race through his mind as if they were cars on a highway. Was it physical? Was it bad? Was he hurt? All questions that have dangerous answers. “Peter…” he begins, but trails off, realizing how unsure he is about going through this conversation.

 

“It’s okay,” Peter’s voice is nothing short of a whisper at this point. “I just thought you should know. It just gets...um, frustrating sometimes.” He sucks in his breath and turns completely away from Tony. “Especially since he is...such a huge fan of Spider-man.”

 

Tony cocks an eyebrow and tilts his head to the side, eyes widening at the realization of Peter’s double life. His lips part, as if to say something, but nothing comes out. _Come on, Tony,_ His mind scolds him. _The kid needs comfort. Provide comfort, damnit._ “Who...your bully?”

 

Tony watches the back of Peter’s head nod. “Some days, I just want to tell him. Show him, even. But I know that would only make things worse in the long run. He would tell everyone, ruin everything I’ve worked for, you know?” Tony can detect the shakiness in Peter’s voice, and judging by the small sniffles he can hear, Peter is on the border of crying. “He just makes life so miserable for me at school. And the teachers, they don’t do anything about it. For a school that is so adamant about ‘zero tolerance,’ they sure do tolerate it a lot.” Peter clenches and unclenches his fist multiple times, and Tony feels his own heart sink. How could anyone bully Peter, one of the nicest, most generous kids out there?

 

Tony walks forward and gently touches a hand to Peter’s shoulder, squeezing it in reassurance. “The school won’t do anything about it?”

 

Peter shakes his head, his breathing unsteady, as if he were about to break. “N-no. I...I went to the principal, and several teachers, and they just tell me to ignore him and be the better person, ‘cause I have the strength to do that, apparently.” Peter turns around slowly, looking Tony in the eyes. His face is blotchy, and a few stray tears have escaped. He sniffs, rubbing at his left eye.  “I should have the strength to do that. I’m Spider-man, for God’s sake. But...every time he calls me a liar whenever I mention interning for you, or calls me ‘Penis Parker,’ or makes fun of the way I do things...it... _kills_ me a little bit, you know? And I want it to stop. God, I want it to stop so badly.”

 

Tony nods and wraps his arms around the kid, pulling him close and allowing him to sob into his shoulder. “You don’t deserve any of that sort of treatment. You’re a wonderful student and kid. You barely have a mean bone in your body.”

 

“I wish I did!” Peter outbursts, sobbing much louder. “God, if I did, I would show him who’s boss. I would show him not to disrespect Spider-man. But...I can’t. I know I can’t. Mr. Stark, I don’t know what to do about this anymore. I went to Aunt May once, and she tried to bring it up to the Principal, but they only told her the same thing they told me...that I need to just ignore it.”

 

“You shouldn’t have to ignore it, Pete.” Tony furrows his eyebrows, feeling a small anger bubble up inside of him. “They should be doing something about it. You’re a teenager that already deals with a lot more than any average human. You don’t need this added stress.”

 

“B-but...what can _I_ do?” Peter asks, pulling away from Tony and rubbing at his eyes. He sniffles loudly before continuing. “I don’t even know why I came to you for this. You’re…” He gestures vaguely to the scattered suit parts covering Tony’s desk. “You’re working on something. And I should be focusing on my web fluids. I shouldn’t have bothered you.”

 

“Hey now,” Tony runs a hand through Peter’s hair. “This is important, and I’m glad you told me this. Believe it or not, kiddo, I care about you. I care about your wellbeing. You’re my little Spiderling.”

 

Peter lets out a cry and he buries his face into his hands. “Some days I feel like I don’t deserve any of what has happened to me. Like why did the spider bite me? I’m not…” He takes a deep breath, his bottom lip quivering. “I’m not...worth it.”

 

Tony brings Peter closer to him again, hugging him tightly. “You are, though. Sure, the spider may have bitten you at random, but I can’t think of a single better person to be Spider-man. Peter, really, your heart is filled with kindness. Your generosity is unmatched, and your patience is not a force to be reckoned with. I mean, look at you with this bully of yours. The fact that you have managed to not snap at all? That takes a lot. Lord knows I would have broken the kid’s arm if it was me.”

 

A small chuckle escapes Peter’s lips, albeit briefly.

 

“And sometimes,” Tony continues, patting Peter on the back as he pulls away. “I feel similar about being Iron Man. I mean, why me, right? But then I look back and realize that having that kind of responsibility helped change me as a person, and I became so much more aware of the effect that I had on other people. Iron Man has shaped who I am today, and sometimes, I am grateful for that.”

 

“I love being Spider-man,” Peter says quickly. “Don’t get me wrong, Mr. Stark. I love it. But…”

 

“You think you don’t deserve being him. I know,” Tony waves his hand in dismissal. “Peter, I promise you, you are amazing in the things that you do. Don’t let this bully, who sounds lame within himself, decide your worth for you. He’s not even a quarter of the man that you are.”

 

Peter tries to suppress a sob, and fails. “T-thank you, Mr. Stark. Truly. I needed to hear that. I needed to talk about this.”

 

“Of course, Kid,” Tony smiles, ruffling Peter’s hair. “I’m going to see what _I_ can do about this situation. I promise, no big scenes or anything. But this has got to stop, okay?”

 

Peter nods, and Tony gestures to the table behind Peter.

 

“Let’s finish working. Put on some music, and let’s get lost in the world of science, eh?”

 

Peter grins, wiping the rest of the tears off of his face. “Good idea, Mr. Stark, thank you.”

 

“Fri, play the best of the ‘80s, please.”

 

Peter groans, dragging his hand along his face as _Take On Me_ starts playing. “You’re so _old._ ”

 

Tony laughs loudly, turning around to continue tinkering with his suits.

 

* * *

 

Tony had met Stephen Strange right before Thanos came crashing down wanting six pieces of jewelry, and he instantly had decided that he disliked him, until he realized that Stephen actually had a kinder soul than expected. After the reversal of the snap, Tony found himself drawn towards the man, becoming friendlier and eventually decided that they had earned the title of friends. Stephen had always welcomed Tony into the Sanctum (albeit, he was a little stingy the first couple of times, but everyone warms up to Tony eventually) and continues to do so. Tony rants to him about Avengers’ problems, while Stephen will occasionally let slip a few problems he’s been having in the mystical world. They will give each other advice and solutions, providing a mutually beneficial relationship that allows one another to blow off steam, while also getting help on avoiding or fixing said situations.

 

When Peter came to him, sobbing miserably about his bullying problem, it left Tony dumbstruck an unable to properly think of a solution that didn’t end with “wounding the kid.”

 

And that’s how he ended up currently pacing in the Sanctum, rubbing at his chin as he struggles to find an answer to his problem.

 

Stephen stares at his pacing friend with an arched eyebrow. “So he just...blurted this out? That he was bullied?”

 

“Yup,” Tony enunciates the P at the end, popping it loudly as he continues to pace around the Sanctum. “His school does absolutely nothing about it too. God, Steph, you should have _seen_ the look on his face. He looked absolutely miserable, absolutely done with it all, and I had to keep my rage in check, because I was so ready to find this kid and give him something worth crying over.”

 

Stephen snorts. “Well you can’t do that. He’s a teenager. Not a very good image of an adult beating the absolute _shit_ out of a minor.”

 

“I _know_ that!” Tony flings his hands upward in frustration, drawing out a long huff. “Hence me coming to you for help. I told him I would deal with this but I haven’t the slightest idea how. I mean, his school is run by a bunch of imbeciles!”

 

Stephen leans against the wall, fingers steepled under his chin. “They really just told him to ignore it? What kind of a school just does that? I thought with the new bullying laws, they would actually _do_ something about it.”

 

“Don’t even get me started,” Tony waves a hand in dismissal. “Look, please, I’m at a loss, and you’re good at solving problems, right?”

 

Stephen blinks, genuinely surprised. “I would come to think that’s you who is good at that, considering you’ve gotten out of countless near-death scenarios.”

 

“No time for compliments,” Tony rolls his eyes briefly, before his facial expression changes into a small smile. “But thank you, how lovely of you to say.”

 

Stephen scoffs again. “I swear, every time I compliment you, your ego only grows more powerful.”

 

“I know,” Tony grins, before shaking his head and waving his hands in the air. “Never mind all of that! Help me out here, Strange! I can’t just leave this alone.”

 

“Of course you can’t,” the sorcerer tells him. “Maybe you _should_ talk to the principal. I mean, you’re Tony Stark, you’ve probably got the greatest influence on anybody. Maybe you can threaten to pull funding, or something.”

 

Tony’s pacing pauses, and he turns to Stephen with a newfound expression on his face. “God, that’s a _brilliant_ idea! I’ll arrange a meeting with the administration and demand they do something about the bullying or I’ll stop funding their science programs! Why the hell didn’t I think about that?”

 

“Emotions tend to cloud over reasoning, as you’re so upset over Peter being mistreated.”

 

“Don’t get all Doctor on me, man, I swear.”

 

“I’m just telling the truth,” Stephen shrugs as a smug grin appears on his face. Tony rolls his eyes, but a hint of a smile can be seen in Tony’s expression.

 

“Would you want to come with me?” Tony asks, and Stephen tilts his head in response.

 

“Come...where?”

 

“To the school,” Tony grins. “Where I’ll berate the administration for failing to comply to the laws and have them stop the bullying of my Spiderling.”

 

Stephen’s lips part slightly as he rubs at his chin. “Sure, why not? Though it’s not like I’ll have any power over them in anyway.”

 

“Not truuuuuue!” Tony sings, inching towards the sorcerer and grabbing his left hand, bringing up the hand to his face and pointing at the sling ring that rests comfortably on his fingers. “You have this _delightful_ relic that can most definitely be used for persuasion.”

 

Stephen rolls his eyes, suppressing a faint blush from the hand grabbing. “I am not going to threaten school administrations by using magic.”

 

“Aw, come on…”

 

Stephen bites his lip and lets out a small chuckle. “Fine, but only if necessary, and only because it’s Peter we’re talking about.”

 

Tony backs away and raises his fist in the air. “Hell yes! Let’s go!”

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story is going to have three chapters total. Enjoy Chapter 2!

Tony’s gaze lingers over Stephen’s figure as the sorcerer comes down the stairs of the Sanctum. “Wow,” he says, smirking as he notes how _amazing_ Stephen looks in a purple dress-shirt (and the buttons are just _yearning_ to break off). “You know, I hardly recognized you without your fancy schmancy wizard wardrobe.”

****

Stephen rolls his eyes and returns the smirk as he strolls up to Tony. “I figured I needed to have something on that’s more suitable to the common eye, if I’m going to be taken seriously.”

****

“Why don’t you dress like this more? It looks fantastic.” Tony’s eyes travel up and down, studying the way that the dress-shirt snugly hugs Stephen’s toned body. Stephen clears his throat and smirks as Tony’s gaze shoots back up, and a faint blush appears on the billionaire’s face.

****

“Like what you see, eh, Stark?” Stephen winks.

****

“Yeah, you’re hot shit, Strange.” Tony grins before gesturing towards the door. “You ready to go?”

****

“Yep. Did you call them? Set up an appointment? It _is_ the middle of the school day, after all.” Stephen pulls out his sling ring and gently inserts his fingers, sliding the ring on. Tony nods and gives him a thumbs up.

****

“Yup, called them and said something about a funding issue. Needless to say, they pushed aside all appointments for me.” Tony puffs up his chest and stands straighter. “God, I love being a celebrity sometimes.”

****

“Only sometimes? Really? From what I’ve seen, you _thrive_ off the attention the media gives you.” Stephen hums, crossing his arms. “Alright, where do you want me to portal to?”

****

“Eh, close enough to the school so we’re walking distance, but far enough away to not scare a meandering child.”

****

Stephen nods and obliges, forming a portal near the school and stepping through it, reaching his hand for Tony to take. Tony laughs as he takes the hand and jumps through the portal, turning around to watch it close behind him. They’re about a block away from the school, and it’s a lovely day out - perfect for walking. As they’re walking, Stephen tells a story about the time he had accidentally unleashed a monster into the Sanctum, and how Wong, after that, would not speak to him for at least three days. Tony snickers as he listens to the tale, slightly surprised about how careless Stephen had been in that moment. The man is usually so meticulous, so responsible, and the fact that he released a monster (albeit, it was an accident) was a little odd sounding. Stephen goes on to assure Tony that nobody was hurt and nothing was permanently damaged, and the monster is now tucked away deep in another dimension.

****

The winding pathway they are walking on reaches the entrance of the school, and Tony grins at Stephen before striding in, opening the doors and walking straight into the administration’s office. “Hello,” he smiles at the secretary working at the desk, who gasps slightly at his arrival. “I’m here for a meeting?”

****

“Yes,” the secretary stands up quickly, gathering a few things before motioning behind her. “Please, Mr. Stark, come this way. Principal Morita is waiting in his office for you.” She moves rapidly, with Tony and Stephen following close behind. She knocks twice on the Principal’s office and opens it up. “Principal Morita? Tony Stark is here to meet with you.”

****

“Ah yes,” Tony hears a man’s voice from the other side of the door. “Please, let him in.”

****

The secretary nods and opens the door all the way, stepping aside to let Tony and Stephen pass by. The man behind the desk stands up and walks towards Tony, grinning widely and shaking Tony’s hand. “Hello, Mr. Stark. I’m Principal Morita, we spoke on the phone.”

****

“Hi, yes.” Tony manages a fake smile, the one he’s mastered since becoming a celebrity. “Nice to meet you.”

****

“I’m very sorry about your wedding.” Morita says, letting go of Tony’s hand.

****

“It’s all good.” Tony blinks, remembering that just under a year ago, his split with Pepper became the talk of the town. “Pepper and I are still close as ever. But that’s not what I’m here for.” He gestures to Stephen by pointing his thumb. “This is Doctor Stephen Strange, my friend and colleague. He’s here for support.”

****

Morita arches an eyebrow in confusion, but sticks his hand out anyway. “Hello, nice to meet you.”

****

“Pleasure,” Stephen says bluntly, shakily grabbing the other man’s hand. Morita pulls his hand back and clasps them together before leaning on the edge of his desk, legs crossed at the ankles.

****

“So, Mr. Stark, I understand you wanted to discuss your funding? We here at Midtown High are so eternally grateful for your continuous support for our science and technology departments.”

****

Tony waves a hand in dismissal. “Yeah, yeah, I know. And that’s fine. I’m actually here to discuss something else.”

****

Morita blinks, slightly taken aback. “Oh? But over the phone you had mentioned-”

****

“I know what I had mentioned,” Tony interrupts. “And I will get to the funding. But there is something that we need to discuss first. What can you tell me about Peter Parker?”

****

“Parker?” Morita is even more confused, standing up off of his desk and walking behind it to sit in his chair. “He’s a good student, with some minor behavioral issues, but I am emphasizing _minor_. A wonderful kid as well. Is there any reason why you’ve brought him up?”

****

Stephen scoffs and leans against the wall.

****

Tony nods. “Yes. You are aware that he is an intern at my company, correct?”

****

“Yes, I know that.” Morita muses. “He mentions it occasionally.”

****

“Mhm,” Tony hums, walking closer to Morita’s desk. “Now, can you tell me why my intern came to me crying hysterically because he is being bullied by some punk-ass kid in his grade? Can you tell me why he has continuously brought it up to your administration, even directly to you, and you still allow it to happen? Can you tell me, hmm, why you are failing to follow your ‘zero tolerance,’ mandate?”

****

Morita’ color deepens as his jaw drops slightly. “W-well, it is true that Peter has come to me asking for help on a...negative interaction between a student. I gave him some advice, that was all.”

****

“Telling him to ignore his bully is...advice?” Stephen cuts in, still leaning against the wall. Tony glances back and smiles at Stephen before his facial expression changes and he turns his head back to Morita. “Sounds a lot like avoiding the problem instead of solving it.”

****

“What he said,” Tony tilts his head in Stephen’s direction.

****

“W-well, with situations like this, usually the person wants a sense of power. If you ignore their attacks, they can never gain satisfaction, and eventually will back down. At least, that’s what I was taught.” Morita stammers, rubbing the back of his head. “Peter, well, I thought he seemed to be handling it well.”

****

“According to him, the kid does not stop.” Tony grits his teeth. “ _Obviously,_ your ways of solving the problem are not working right. Perhaps actually doing something about it, instead of brushing it aside, _might just work?_ God, you lot are a bunch of _imbeciles-”_

****

“Tony,” Stephen lifts himself off of the wall and pulls Tony away. He holds up his finger at Principal Morita, signaling him to give them a moment. He lowers his voice into a whisper. “Tony, try and contain yourself.”

****

“I am containing myself,” Tony hisses. “It’s not my fault that this administration is ‘garbagio!’”

****

“We’re here for a respectful conversation, try not to insult the Principal to his face.” Stephen mutters, putting a hand on Tony’s shoulder. “We’re going to get what we want, trust me. Peter’s going to be fine, but we can’t rage like angry parents whose child didn’t make honor roll.”

****

Tony smirks. “Oh, we’re parents now? I would have thought that we would have dinner fir-”

****

“Shut up,” Stephen scoffs, though he has an amused look on his face. “Just be respectful.”

****

“Fine,” Tony murmurs, before turning back around to Morita. “Sorry about that, now, I was telling you how ignoring the issue only makes it worse? Does that sound about right?”

****

“Look, Mr. Stark, Peter is a strong, young man, I’m sure he can stand up for himself if need be!” Morita narrows his eyes.

****

“If that were the case,” Stephen interjects. “Then we wouldn’t be wasting our time with this visit. But how about instead of hearing it from us, we bring Peter in here, and have _him_ tell you just exactly how much ignoring the problem is working?”

****

Tony tosses a smile at Stephen. “I’m so glad I brought you.” He turns back around to face Morita, his smile fading. “Go on, call Peter in.”

****

Morita inhales deeply, his eyes nervously dashing between Stephen and Tony as he reaches for the phone. He announces over the loudspeaker. “Peter Parker to Principal Morita’s office. Peter Parker to Principal Morita’s office.” He places the phone down warily.

****

Tony acknowledges the motion with a head nod. “Thank you.”

****

“Mr. Stark,” Morita begins. “I know that you are unhappy with the way that we handle things here. I know it’s a bit concerning, but I only want the best for the students. Learning to deal with harassment of any kind is important, because some people just aren’t going to be kind in the workplace. Having the students learn to develop thick skin is one way to deal with that.”

****

Stephen shakes his head. “What you should _also_ be teaching is that students should be held responsible for their own actions and deal with the consequences. In the workplace, harassment is reported to human resources. You know this. You _should_ know this, at least. It’s what they teach at every career. And when that is reported, actions are taken to make sure that the person who is causing the disturbance is reprimanded.”

****

Morita nods. “I understand completely. But this is high school. Not every student will get along. From what Peter has told me, his situation has never become physical. That is usually when we take proper action.”

****

“That’s bullshit!” Tony chimes in, and Stephen immediately puts his hands on his shoulders to silence him.

****

“What Tony _means_ to say,” Stephen quickly adds, shooting his friend a glare that says _stay respectful._ Tony raises his hands in a surrendering motion, rolling his eyes as he does so. “Is that emotional abuse is just as bad as physical abuse.”

****

Morita’s eyes widen and he winces. “I wouldn’t go as far as to describe the situation as _abuse.”_

****

“So what would you describe it as?” Tony questions, crossing his arms.

****

Morita pauses, making various hand movements as to try and grab his thoughts. “Eh...I would more-so call it a _negative interaction._ ”

****

“Negative interaction.” Tony repeats dryly and glances at Stephen. “ _Negative interaction._ Are you hearing this?”

****

The door opens slowly, and Peter peers his head in. “Hi, Principal Morita, you asked to see-” His eyes focus on Tony and Stephen and his jaw drops as he pushes the rest of the door open. “Mr. Stark? Doctor Strange? What are you guys doing here? Is everything okay?”

****

Tony smiles as he waves at Peter. “Hey Kid, remember how we talked yesterday about your little problem, and how I said I would handle it?”

****

Peter nods. “Oh. Is that what this is about?”

****

Morita clears his throat. “Hello, Peter. I called you up here so you can explain your negative interaction with Flash. I understand that you had come to me before, and I told you to try and ignore him. This is a follow up on that - how is it going?”

****

“Honestly?” Peter sits down in a chair and casts a quick glance at Tony. “Not well. Flash is still incredibly mean to me, and I try not to give him any attention, but the man is stubborn! He doesn’t give up on trying to make me feel like...crap. He calls me names, more specifically ‘Penis Parker,’ that’s his favorite. It was kind of funny at first, but now it’s just old and annoying. Whenever he sees me in the hallway he insults something about me, like what I’m wearing or how my hair looks or something stupid like that. And the worst thing is when he calls me a liar for whenever I bring up working for Mr. Stark. He goes on to say that Mr. Stark would never hire a kid like me and that I’m just lying to make myself seem cool.” Peter takes a deep breath, tears threatening to well up. “Principal Morita, I tried to ignore the issue like you said to do, but it’s just become intolerable, and I don’t know if I can handle much more of it.”

****

There is a brief silence, allowing Peter’s words to sink into the air. Morita sits at his desk, unsure of how to respond, biting his lip as he peers at Peter. Peter returns the stare, his bottom lip quivering slightly.

****

“See what I mean?” Stephen breaks the silence. “While Flash may not be physically intimidating Peter, the emotional toll that is building up is obvious. Severe emotional stress can cause a domino effect, and considering Peter is in one of the most important years of his life, that’s just something that he does not need.”

****

“I see,” Morita finally says. “And I understand completely.”

****

“Do you?” Tony tilts his head, a condescending tone filling the air. “Do you _really_ understand? Because I’m sure he’s told you this before, you know, when-” He feels a buzzing in his pocket and a ring tone echoes through the office. Tony sighs and pulls the phone out. “Hold on, I’ve got to take this.” He heads towards the door, opening it and closing it behind him.

****

Stephen watches Tony leave, furrowing his eyebrows for a brief moment before turning back towards Morita. “Why don’t you call Flash down here, and we can have a friendly, respectful conversation?”

****

Morita’s eyes widen. “I don’t know if that’s such a good idea. He might be a bit intimidated, might he not?”

****

“Perhaps,” Stephen admits. “But I mean Peter would mainly be doing the one talking. We just would be mediating. It’s important for Peter to stand up for himself, and the best way to do it is with adults present.”

****

“Agreed, but with you and Mr. Stark present, it’d be a little frightening.” Morita argues, leaning back in his chair.

****

Stephen sucks in his breath and strides towards the desk, placing both hands on it and leaning forward. He drops his voice low. “Principal Morita, I understand your concerns. However, my friend Tony out there is currently unhappy with the way that you already handled one situation. I suggest you call that boy in and fix this once and for all. He’s already considering pulling your funding, so perhaps it's a good idea to not make him upset.”

****

“Are you…” Morita narrows his eyes. “Threatening me?”

****

“Oh, no, believe me,” Stephen taunts, tapping his fingers against the desk, causing the ring to make a loud sound. “I’m merely telling you what Mr. Stark is thinking, you know, a negotiation. You’d know if I was threatening you. This is merely child’s play.” His eyes flicker towards the phone and back up to Morita. “Call the boy in, please.”

****

Principal Morita holds his stare for a lingering moment before swiftly picking up the phone. “Flash Thompson to Principal Morita’s office. Flash Thompson to Principal Mortia’s office.”

****

Stephen grins and pushes himself off the desk, standing right back up. “Thank you.” He walks past Peter and winks.

****

Peter leans over and drops his voice low. “That was amazing.”

****

“Tony brought me in for a reason.” He smiles and ruffles Peter’s hair before returning to his place against the wall.

****

A few moments later, Flash opens the door to the office, eyebrows raising as he notices Peter in the chair and Stephen against the wall with his arms crossed. “Principal Morita? You asked to see me? Is something wrong?”

****

“Are you Flash?” Stephen asks, and Flash looks at him and tilts his head.

****

“Yes… who are you?”

****

“My name isn’t important.” Stephen smirks, drumming his fingers along his arm.

****

“Stephen, that’s nonsense, of course your name is important. It’s the best name out there,” Tony gleefully chimes into the room, and at the sight of the billionaire, Flash’s face pales, color draining so fast Tony thought he might faint. “Hello there.”

****

“Tony,” Stephen snickers quietly and gestures to Flash. “This is Flash Thompson.”

****

“Oh…” Tony smiles sweetly, passive aggressiveness radiating from his voice. “So you’re Flash Thompson? I’ve heard _so_ much about you!”

****

“You…” Flash’s eyes widen. “Have?” He quickly glances at Peter, a look of horror displayed on his face.

****

“Why yes, my intern tells me about his days at school an awful lot.” Tony explains, choosing a spot next to Stephen on the wall to lean against. “You tend to come up in conversation.”

****

“I-I...um…” A flicker of fear is noticeable in his expression. “Intern? Parker is really...your intern?”

****

“Yes.” Tony nods, and Flash immediately grabs a chair and sits down, sucking in his breath.

****

“Peter?” Principal Morita turns his head to look at him. “Is there anything you want to say?”

****

“Yes.” Flash sharply turns his head towards Peter, eyes widening in horror. Peter clears his throat and sits up straighter, gazing directly into Flash’s eyes with determination. “Flash, you have been incredibly rude and unjust towards me for the past couple of years. You’ve called me names, made fun of the way I look, and called me a liar. I don’t like being called a liar, especially if I worked hard to achieve the things I achieved. It’s um, it’s quite an honor to be working for Mr. Stark, and I’m really proud of my abilities to do so. I have tried to just ignore you, but lately, it’s been getting to my head. I hope this proves to you that I’m _not_ a liar and that maybe you can find something better to do with your time than waste mine.”

****

Tony tosses him a thumbs up and Stephen grins. Peter exhales a long breath, feeling the weight finally leave his shoulders.

Morita turns to look at Flash. “Flash? Anything to say.”

****

“I-I’m…” Flash stammers, unable to look at anywhere but the ground. “I’m sorry. It was wrong of me to do so. I guess I was just...um...j-just jealous and in denial about you interning for a company as cool as Tony Stark’s. It made me feel a bit better about myself, I think.”

****

“Did it really?” Stephen pipes up, and Flash quickly shakes his head.

****

“No, not really. I mean maybe, only temporarily. For a brief moment! But then I’d feel bad about myself again.”

****

Peter sighs. “Flash, I accept your apology, but jealousy is not an excuse to just be mean to someone.”

****

“Peter is right,” Morita adds. “Flash, since you apologized, I’ll let you go with a warning. But if Peter comes to me again, there will be... _consequences.”_ He glances at Tony, who nods in acknowledgment.

****

“Yes, sir,” Flash replies, looking down.

****

“You both may leave. Get back to class.”

****

“Yes, sir.” Peter and Flash both get up out of their chairs. Flash speed walks out of the room, without looking back. Peter heads towards Tony and Stephen. “Thank you,” he says in a low voice.

****

Tony ruffles Peter’s hair. “I told you I’d come help. Now go back to class. Come to the Sanctum later, and we can talk about it more.”

****

“And why will _you_ be at the Sanctum?” Stephen asks, a glimmer of amusement twinkling in his eyes.

****

“Oh, when am I _not_ there, Steph?” Tony smirks. Peter frantically glances between them and tilts his head, eyebrows furrowing in confusion.

****

“Um,” he clears his throat. “Okay. I’ll come by. I’ll see you both later.” He turns and leaves the room.

****

Tony waves at Morita. “Thanks for having us. I hope you change your ways of dealing with this.”

****

Morita nods. “Goodbye, Mr. Stark, Doctor Strange. Have a wonderful day.”

****

“You too.” Stephen replies as the two leave the office. Tony waves at the secretary, and her face blushes a beet red in response as she shyly waves back. Stephen leans into whisper in his ear as they continue walking. “She obviously likes you.”

****

“Who doesn’t?” Tony replies, a smirk plastered on his face. “Come on, let’s go back to the Sanctum. This school reminds me of my high school days. Yikes.”

****

Stephen rolls his eyes but chuckles as the two head back down the winding pathway.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> badass I want them as my dads


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woo! Another completed fic!

Tranquility fills the atmosphere around the Sanctum at approximately three o’clock in the afternoon. The cloak flies aimlessly around the room, entertaining itself in a way that brings a sort of amusement to Stephen’s eye. He is sitting in a chair, flipping through a book as a cup of tea rests on a coaster on a table next to him. Across from him, a snoring Tony is collapsed in a chair, exhausted from dealing with Peter’s school and his lack of sleep from the previous nights. Stephen studies the man by peering over his book, noting the way Tony’s chest rises and falls with every breath, and how his hands have a slight twitch as if he is dreaming. It’s oddly adorable, and a blush inches its way up Stephen’s neck as his gaze drops back down to his book.  

 

A knock resounds across the Sanctum, and Tony jolts awake from his snooze. “Hzuh?”

 

Stephen chuckles, standing up and walking towards the door, the cloak flying over and nestling onto his shoulders. “Good nap, sleeping beauty?”

 

Tony blinks and rubs at his eyes, yawning as he turns his head towards Stephen’s moving figure. “I didn’t even realize I fell asleep. Why didn’t you wake me?”

 

“Wake you? Mr. I Never Sleep?” Stephen shakes his head and laughs. “You’ve gotta be kidding me. You need your hours. Lord knows how often you decide to forgo sleep.”

 

“Hey,” Tony stands up, pointing an accusatory finger at the other man. “We spend so much time in our lives asleep. I could be missing something important in life.”

 

“Yes, like living a full life instead of dying from lack of proper sleep,” Stephen retorts, opening the door. “Peter! Hey.”

 

“Spiderling!” Tony exclaims, dashing forward slightly so he could stand next to Stephen. “How was the rest of school? Did that kid give you any more problems?”

 

Peter grins and he launches himself at Tony, hugging him tightly. “Thank you! Thank you thank you thank you!” Tony pats Peter on the back awkwardly, taken aback by the sudden display of affection from the teenager. 

  
  


“Allllllright. I’ll take that as a good sign? Yes?” He lets out a chuckle.

 

Peter pulls back, beaming. “Oh, Mr. Stark, it was so great! He was too scared to even  _ look _ at me, let alone talk to me! I hope it’s like that all of the time! The rest of my day went so smoothly! I didn’t get mad or clench my fist or tighten my jaw once! I didn’t even have to hear the word ‘penis!’” He glances at Stephen before attacking him with a hug as well. “And you! Thank you as well! I didn’t even expect you to be there but you were so fantabulous and amazing! And you threatened him as well and  _ that _ was super badass!”

 

Stephen chuckles and returns the hug. Tony puts a hand on his hip and pouts. “You threatened him? When?”

 

Stephen gently lifts Peter off of him and smirks. “You were on the phone, I believe.”

 

“Yeah,” Peter exclaims. “You got a phone call and stepped out of the room!”

 

“Mhm,” Tony crosses his arms. “And how did you threaten him?”

 

Stephen rolls his eyes. “I didn’t  _ threaten. _ I merely negotiated.”

 

“Oh, it was  _ so  _ cool.” Peter buts in, his grin seemingly taking up his whole face. “He leaned over Principal Morita’s desk and lowered his voice and said a few things, like something about your funding. Then he started tapping his ring on the desk. I don’t think Morita knew what that meant but  _ I _ knew what that meant. It was  _ so  _ badass.”

 

Tony flings his arms up in the air. “I cannot believe this. You threatened him and I wasn’t even there to witness it. Fucking Rhodey.”

 

Stephen smirks and crosses his arms. “Oh, relax, it wasn’t a big deal.”

 

“Oh it  _ so _ was!” Peter pipes up. “You got him to call Flash down. Doctor Strange, you are  _ so _ cool. No wonder Mr. Stark likes you so much.”

 

“Oh?” Stephen casts an amused glance at the now reddening Tony. “Thank you, Peter.”

 

“W-well,” Tony finds himself fumbling with his words. “He’s right, you  _ are _ very cool.”

 

“Hmph. Thank you.”

 

“ _ Also!” _ Peter adds, bouncing his knees in excitement. “Aunt May is going to have a talk with the school as well! I told her about what happened and she is  _ pissed! _ Not at you, of course, no, you guys helped, but she’s mad that she came to the school and they didn’t listen to a word she said but they listened to you.”

 

“Mm, Principal Morita’s in for an earful,” Tony grins. “May is one tough cookie.”

 

“Tell me about it,” Peter grumbles. “I talked back to her once and she sassed me so hard my kids are gonna feel it.”

 

Stephen lets out a laugh. “She sounds like a character.”

 

“Oh, she is.” Tony rubs the back of his neck. “If Peter returns and he has so much as a scratch on his face, I get an earful from her. She’s great though, she’s raised a good, tough boy.”

 

Peter beams, chuckling softly as he points over his shoulder to the door. “Aw, well, I gotta get going. I promised Ned I would hang out with him after school. I just figured I’d swing by and really thank you guys for helping me out!”

 

“It’s not a problem, Kid.” Tony reaches out and ruffles the teenager’s hair. “Seriously, if that asshat of a kid ever gives you a problem, come directly to me. I’ll be sure to take extensive measures in getting him to shut the hell up.”

 

“Believe me,” the sorcerer chimes in. “From his facial expressions this morning, I think Peter’s Flash problem is over. We scared the hell out of that kid. Or, well, more specifically,  _ you _ frightened him.”

 

A smile spreads across Tony’s face. “I did, didn't I? I love being intimidating.”

 

Peter opens the door to the Sanctum and eases his way out. “Goodbye Mr. Stark and Doctor Strange! Thanks again!” He waves before pulling out his mask and putting it on, aiming his hand in the opposite direction and shooting a web on a nearby building. “See ya!” He shouts once more before taking off. Tony peers out the door and watches the figure swing from building to building before chuckling and closing the door behind him.

 

“Kid’s wired.”

 

Stephen snorts. “Well, you  _ are _ his mentor.”

 

Tony shoots him a look. “What’s that supposed to mean, huh? You calling me a nutcase?”

 

“Yep.”

 

“Hmph.” Tony crosses his arms. “I can’t even argue with that brutal honesty.” He sighs, rubbing the back of his neck before dropping his hand to his side with a gentle  _ smack. _ “You think I did alright?”

 

“Hm?” Stephen cocks his head.

 

“Do you think I did okay? You know,” Tony gestures vaguely. “With the whole bullying thing. You think I handled it well?”

 

Stephen’s lips quirk upwards in a small smile. “Yeah, you did great. You handled it professionally and you did the right thing, and we’ll see in a few days if you really solved the problem, which I’m sure you have. He seemed really happy about it too, Peter, I mean. He looked genuinely relieved, and not as tense as I usually see him.”

 

“You think so?”

 

“I know so.” Stephen pats Tony on the back. “He looked much more care-free when he came swinging by. You really did a great thing for him, you know? You didn’t have to intervene with his bullying problem.”

 

“I mean, I couldn’t just leave that alone. What kind of a person would I be?”

 

Stephen shrugs. “Doesn’t matter. You intervened and that’s awesome.”

 

Tony murmurs a small “thanks,” before glancing down at the ground. He scratches at his head before inhaling sharply and snapping his head up at Stephen. “You  _ really _ threatened him?”

 

“Peter’s over exaggerating. I negotiated. I thought we’ve been over this?”

 

“And I wasn’t there to witness it?” Tony shakes his head. “I still can’t believe that. Why couldn’t you do that while I was in the room, huh?”

 

Stephen rolls his eyes in feign exasperation as he strides across the Sanctum, the cloak flowing freely behind him. “Because I’m evil and I like to annoy you.”

 

“It just would have been a lovely sight to see, Doc.” Tony follows him, a smirk expressed on his face. “Probably super hot too.”

 

“Am I just a cam girl to you, Tony?” Stephen asks, mockingly. 

 

Tony crosses his arms and scowls. “No, you’re more than just a cam girl. You’re a magical one. That’s a big bonus.”

 

“Should I be offended by this conversation?”

 

“That’s for you to decide. You’re also talking to me, so you should always take what I say with a grain of salt.”

 

“Hmm. Duly noted,” Stephen replies. 

 

Silence fills the air as Tony studies the man in front of him. The cloak billows out behind him, showing off (as there isn’t any wind in the Sanctum) and it is somewhat amusing. Stephen’s normal robes are back, replacing the beautiful (and tight) purple shirt that Stephen had on before. Tony’s face heats up - even in those disastrous looking robes, he still looks so immensely handsome. 

 

His mind wanders a bit. He’s been feeling drawn to Stephen a lot more than usual. The man is attractive, intellectual, witty, sarcastic, generous, and caring, not to mention one hundred percent Tony’s type. He openly flirts with Stephen, and Stephen, well, he generally flirts back with the same amount of weird energy. 

 

And earlier that day, when Stephen and him were arguing with the principal, it really did seem like they were a couple of parents angry about their kid being mistreated. And it fit like a puzzle piece, like they just worked. Tony noticed how Stephen cared just as much as he did when it concerned Peter, even if Stephen didn't have a relation to him. It reminded him about how much he liked the sorcerer.

 

Perhaps it is time to end the flirting games and begin something more. 

 

The billionaire grins as he walks closer to Stephen. “You know, Doc, we make an  _ excellent _ team. Today proved that.”

 

“Hmm, we do?”

 

“Yep,” Tony reaches out and grabs Stephen’s arms, one hand on each arm. “I was incredible, you apparently were amazing, and we got what we came for. We work well together. We should do that more.”

 

Stephen narrows his eyes. “If this is some sly plot to try and get me to join the Avengers, tough luck.”

 

“Or…” Tony teases, smirking as his hands slowly slide up Stephen’s arms, reaching his shoulders. “It’s just me suggesting we should do more things together.”

 

Stephen glances down at Tony’s hands for a brief moment before catching his eyes. “Like?”

 

“I was thinking dinner, mainly.” Tony’s hands move to either side of Stephen’s neck. “We’re excellent, Stephen. You probably already know how attracted I am to you. And I’m usually good at picking up signals, and by the looks of you staring at my ass the other day, I think you’re very attracted to me. Let me take you out.”

 

“Hmm, I don’t know,” Stephen tilts his chin up, a twinkle in his eye. “You  _ did _ just tell me to take everything you say with a grain of salt. How can I be so sure that the great Tony Stark actually likes me and isn’t just teasing me?”

 

Tony leans forward and gently presses his lips to Stephen’s. It is a brief kiss, only a couple of seconds long. He pulls back and smiles. “I tease you all the time, yeah, but I do like you. And I like how you care about Peter too.”

 

“You’re very convincing.” Stephen leans forward and captures the other man’s lips once more before pulling back. “I would love to go to dinner with you.”

 

“Hell yes! It’s a date. I’ll make reservations tonight for us, huh? That sound good?”

 

Stephen nods, chuckling. “Sounds perfect.”

 

“Sweet,” Tony pulls out his phone. “Also, thank you for coming with me today. I really do appreciate all of that. Peter does too, apparently because of your  _ badassery. _ ” 

 

Stephen snorts. “It was a negotiation. I did nothing special.” He shakes his head. “But of course, anytime. I care about Peter too.”

 

Tony sighs. “I just hope Flash doesn’t start his bullshit back up again.”

 

“And deal with Tony Stark again? Doubtful.” Stephen bemuses. “But if he is feeling a little brave, I guess I wouldn’t mind having him fly through different dimensions as a form of punishment.”

 

“Peter is right. You  _ are _ badass,” Tony beams. 

 

“I guess I am,” Stephen shrugs, smirking. 

 

“Let me go make some reservations for my badass date tonight.” Tony shoots him a wink before putting the phone up to his ear. Stephen returns the wink and Tony grins.

 

Peter’s okay and happy, and now, he’s got a date with a wizard. Life is good.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you all enjoyed this! It's a little cheesy but oh well. Thanks so much for the comments and kudos! What was your favorite part?

**Author's Note:**

> kudos and comments are so very appreciated! i really thrive off of comments and i love you all so much. let me know what you think!
> 
> check me out on [twitter.](https://www.twitter.com/starkologies)  
> check me out on [tumblr.](https://ironstrangepls.tumblr.com/)


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